Obama grilled by local media on vacations, Rosen comments

By LEIGH MUNSIL

04/12/2012 09:21 PM EDT

White House officials' strategy to bypass national news outlets in favor of local interviewers may not be panning out as well as they had hoped.

Traditionally, local news outlets tend to ask easier questions on topics the White House favors instead of the scandals of the day in Washington. But in local TV interviews on Thursday, President Barack Obama was pressed for a response on controversial comments by Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen and grilled on how often he takes vacations.

Here's a transcript of the vacations exchange with a reporter from KMOV in St. Louis:

KMOV's Larry Conners: “The economy is a big issue and concern for folks. I mean, the unemployment, trying to make ends meet, gas prices, food prices going up. Some of our viewers are complaining, they get frustrated, even angered, when they see the first family jetting around, different vacations and so forth. Sometimes maybe they think under color of state business and that you're out of touch, that you don't really know what they're experiencing right now.”

Obama: “Well, I don't know how many viewers you're talking about that say that.”

Conners: “We do hear from some.”

Obama: “I hear from all kinds of viewers about everything.”

Conners: “I’m sure you do.”

Obama: “But the fact of the matter is, I think if you look at my track record, I’m raising a family here. When we travel, we got to travel through Secret Service, and Air Force One, that's not my choice. I think most folks understand how hard I work and how hard this administration is working on behalf of the American people.”

In his post-interview stand-up, Conners said: "Well, of course, with all due respect, the President side stepped that question. No one is questioning his need to travel on Air Force One or have security. The questions being raised are the first family taking so many vacations, when and where, at taxpayer expense.”

The White House had said that the president intended to speak about the proposed Buffett Rule that the Senate is expected to vote on next week. In guidance, officials said he wanted residents in Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, and Nevada, where the local TV interviews were broadcast, to push their senators to vote for the rule, which would ensure that millionaires pay the same share of their income in taxes as their secretaries.